


Vacation at the Sea

by Kateera



Series: All In a Summer [18]
Category: Gotham (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Teenagers, Fluff, M/M, room sharing
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-09-19
Updated: 2017-09-19
Packaged: 2018-12-31 18:40:52
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,594
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12138687
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kateera/pseuds/Kateera
Summary: It's vacation time and Oswald isn't sure he's ready to spend so much time with the Gordon's but Jim makes it worth it.





	Vacation at the Sea

**Author's Note:**

> Written for the Prompt, Sea  
> Thank you so much, [thekeyholder](https://archiveofourown.org/users/thekeyholder), you are wonderful to me and my sporadic timelines.
> 
> Check me out on [tumblr](http://kateera.tumblr.com/) or [twitter](https://twitter.com/kateera_) to say hi, ask me questions, or push my kofi link to keep me caffeinated and writing :)

Running from his room to the living room window, Oswald waved down at Jim. “I'll be right there!”

 

“Mom, Jim’s here!” Oswald called out, swinging his duffel bag across his shoulder as Gertrud shuffled out of her room with a tissue clutched in her hand.

 

“You’re going to get swept away by the current and I’ll never see you again.” Thumping her hand against her heart, she sobbed and wiped at her eyes with the wrinkled tissue.

 

Oswald took her by the arm and held her close. “I’ll be fine, alright? You'll be fine too. I'm only a few hours away.”

 

Gertrud took a deep breath and nodded, squeezing him tight. “Okay, just go before I think about it anymore. The faster you go, the sooner you will be back.” She tucked a strand of hair behind his ear. “My handsome boy, I love you.”

 

“I love you too, mom,” Oswald said, slipping out of her grasp and racing to the door. “See you in a few days!”

 

He tore down the stairs, whipping around the corners as fast as he could. Jim opened the door just as he hit the bottom stairs and he grinned as he used the railing to swing out onto the concrete.

 

“You’re going to break your neck one of these days,” Jim said, grinning and pulling him into a loose hug.

 

“You worry too much. It’s going to give you grey hair.” Ruffling Jim’s hair, Oswald ignored the annoyed look from Roger and waved at Laura.

 

“Hello, Ms. Gordon,” he said, opening his door and sliding across the leather seat.

 

“Hello,” she said with a little wave, her smile tight across her face. “Buckle up, please.”

 

Jim crawled into the car beside him and took Oswald’s bag, throwing it behind them and spreading out on the big back seat. “Alright, Gordon road trip rules: number one, the driver picks the music, so I apologize in advance for my mother’s taste in music.”

 

Oswald grinned and unzipped his hoodie, throwing it behind him as he buckled. “It’s gotta be better than my mother’s newest musical obsession, showtunes from the twenties.” As Laura pulled the car out into the street, Oswald leaned over Jim and waved out the window, smiling as the curtains moved and his mother waved back.

 

Jim patted his arm. “You’re safe now. The showtunes can’t get you.”

 

Oswald stuck out his tongue and Jim’s laugh filled the car, his eyes sparkling with joy. “Rule number two, junk food is the only food allowed, so if you brought veggies, throw them out the window.” Jim held up a tote bag stuffed with various chips, snack cakes and little packets of jerky.

 

“How long is this drive?” Oswald asked, eyes wide at the sight of all the food.

 

Jim shrugged. “A few hours. That’s not the point.” He pulled out a bottle of ginger ale and handed it Oswald. “Your favorite, right?”

 

Taking the soda, Oswald smiled warm and soft, touched at Jim’s attention to details, and nodded. “Thanks.”

 

Smiling back, Jim placed the snacks on the seat and dug around in the bag at his feet, pulling out an mp3 player and waving it at Oswald. They settled back, sharing the headphones and alternating song choices while the hum of the wheels carried them out of Gotham.

 

Oswald stared in shock at the front of the large two-story beach house, taking in the white columns and large sprawling deck and the stone paved walkway that led all the way down the hill towards the beach.

 

“This is a summer house?” Oswald asked, trying to keep a handle on his anxiety. He imagined that his entire apartment could fit in half of the first floor and have room to spare.

 

“Uncle Frank is a self-made millionaire,” Roger said with a sniff, coming to stand beside Oswald and Jim with his leather suitcase.”This is just one of his little getaways.”

 

Oswald looked at Jim and crossed his eyes, making Jim cover his snort with a cough while Roger looked at both of them with barely contained disgust.

 

“Brett will be here soon, so I expect the two of you to behave in a somewhat civilized manner.” Roger didn’t wait for their answer, but marched up the steps and into the house.

 

“Ha, civil. As if he and his little friend won’t spend the whole time trying to one up each other in everything.” Jim walked back to the car and grabbed his bags, holding out Oswald’s duffel with a grin. “Let’s go drop this stuff in our room and head to the beach. I want to test the water.”

 

Oswald frowned. “Our room? Does your family still not know we’re dating?”

 

Jim rubbed the back of his neck with a sheepish smile. “I thought that, well, that it might be nice to share a room, and if they knew, I’d have to bunk with Roger or Brett.” He twisted his face into an expression of utter torment. “Please don’t make me go through that.”

 

A tight, uncomfortable feeling settled in Oswald’s chest, but he didn’t want to disappoint Jim, or make him suffer a vacation rooming with Roger. “Fine, I’ll keep my mouth shut.”

 

“Thank you, thank you!” Jim threw his arm around Oswald and pulled him up the stairs. “Our room should be up the stairs and to the left. Uncle Frank lets me have the ocean view, because even he hates giving Roger what he wants.”

 

Oswald laughed and hitched his bag up over his shoulder, following Jim into the house. They were met by a man with gray hair and a carefully tanned face.

 

“Hello, boys,” he said with his arms spread wide. “Jim, you keep growing like this and I’ll have to stop slouching.” He gave Jim a swat on the arm and turned to Oswald, holding out his hand. “You must be Oswald, I’m Frank Gordon.”

 

Shaking Frank’s hand, Oswald bobbed his head and gave a bright smile. “Hello, sir. It’s a pleasure to meet you. Thank you for letting me accompany Jim.”

 

“Oh now, this is a vacation,” Frank said with a laugh, stepping between them and draping his arms over their shoulders. “No need for any of that ‘sir’ nonsense. Call me Frank. And I’m just glad it won’t be just Jim and I against Roger and his odious acquaintance.”

 

Jim laughed and looked over at Oswald. “Oswald knows how to handle Roger.”

 

Frank looked at them both with a wide smirk. “Us against the snobs, what do you say?”

 

“I think I can help with that, Frank.” Oswald tried not to squeak as Frank gave them each a hearty squeeze and slap on the arm.

 

“Go find your room,” he said with a wave to the stairs. “I’ll try to wrangle Laura outside before she falls asleep.”

 

Jim clapped his uncle on the back and grabbed Oswald’s arm. “Thanks, Uncle Frank.”

 

Following Jim up the stairs, Oswald rubbed at his sore arm and shook his head at the man’s antics. Most of the adults in his life, excepting his mother, wanted him to keep his distance or show them proper respect. He didn’t know how to take Frank’s easy acceptance.

 

“He’s not always like that,” Jim said as he pushed open a whitewashed door. “He’ll be snarly in the morning once his hangover hits.”

 

Oswald nodded and entered the room, dropping his bag and feeling stress melt from his shoulders at the sight of two beds in the room. The panic of sharing a bed with Jim disappeared and he faced Jim with a smile.

 

“So, the ocean?” Oswald asked, tilting his head and winking.

 

Jim laughed and wrapped his arms around Oswald’s waist. “A kiss first, then the ocean.”

 

Oswald looked at the door and then pressed a quick kiss to Jim’s lips, pulling away to rest against his forehead. “We shouldn’t do that if we want to keep sharing a room.”

 

Jim nodded and kissed his nose, stepping back with a sigh. “I knew there would be a downside to my plan.”

 

Turning around, Oswald opened up his bag, grabbing his sandals and heading out the door. “Let’s go test the water. I’m not getting in if it’s too cold.”

 

“Maybe we can miss all the fanfare for Brett.” Jim grabbed his own flip flops and hurried after Oswald.

 

Down the stairs, out the door, and across the stone walkway, Jim and Oswald raced to the beach, kicking sand up behind them. Jim easily won and as he celebrated, Oswald tackled him to the ground. They wrestled in the sand until Jim had Oswald pinned.

 

“Give up?” Jim asked, panting with exertion.

 

Oswald struggled for a few seconds before falling limp. “I give up. I’ll stick with being the brains.”

 

“That’s probably safe.” Jim said with a smirk and rolled off and up to his feet. He peeled off his shirt and threw it up the hill, tossing his shoes soon after and wiggling his toes in the sand. He looked down and gave Oswald a wide grin. “Don’t worry, Ozzie, I’ll protect you.”

 

Oswald gasped and jumped to his feet, tearing off his own shirt and kicking off his shoes while Jim took off for the water, howling with laughter. Jim’s enthusiastic shouts filled the air and Oswald felt light, free, as if something heavy and solid rolled off his shoulders and disappeared into the cool water. Blowing Jim a kiss, Oswald collapsed into the water and let the feeling surround him, cool and bright and free.

 


End file.
